On 17 July 2009, Canada took US steel to a federal court over what it claims are broken promises after the firm idled most of its operations in the country. Canada’s Industry Minister Tony Clement says that US Steel is not complying with job-protection commitments made when the Pittsburgh-based firm took over Hamilton, Ontario-based Stelco steel operations. In March 2009, US Steel announced the imminent temporary shutdowns of steel operations of its renamed US Steel Canada subsidiary due to declining demand in the North American auto, construction and oil drilling sectors. Mr Clement, at that time, threatened to seek a court order to reopen the plants. An application now has been filed with the Federal Court of Canada asking the company to “order appropriate measures to remedy this situation,” such as reopening two big former Stelco plants in Hamilton and Nanticoke, Ontario, affecting some 1500 jobs.